Interview with Edwin Kaminski

Edwin Kaminski born in Poland 1921. Talks about his early life in Poland. Recalls attempting to escape from Poland after the outbreak of World War II, being captured and sent to work in the coal mines in Russia from where he eventually escaped and made his way to England. Talks about the beginning of his seafaring career as a marine engineer and the shipping companies he worked for.

Recalls emigrating to New Zealand with his wife and working in Haast for five months before joining P Ferons & Son Ltd, who owned fishing vessesls. Describes his work, maintaining the company's vessels which, directly or indirectly, numbered 80. Recalls a nine month period living aboard a converted naval fairmile which was anchored in Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island and was used, as an interim measure, as a floating refrigeration plant to service some of the local fleet, until a freezer could be built ashore. Talks about fishing in the Chatham Islands and describes his involvement in the setting up of a processing plant at the Chathams by Ferons Ltd during the tail end of the crayfish boom which occurred there from 1965 to 1971. Discusses crayfish processing and his experiences with the locals on the Chathams. Recalls being an engineer on a number of Chatham Island convoys which travelled between the Chathams and Lyttelton. Mentions the vessel `La Paloma' which was lost with all hands during one of the convoys. Talks about the salvage of the fishing vessel `Rosaleen' which he nursed to Lyttelton. Joined the Marine Department in the early 1970s as chief engineer of their new fisheries research ship `James Cook' and discusses the problems in preparing the vessel for her new role. Recalls later working on the department's new vessel the `Kaharoa' which was built in Whangarei during the early 1980s. Retired from MAF in the late 1980s and talks about his occasional work as chief engineer on a variety of vessels being delivered to or from New Zealand. Ends the interview with his view of the present fishing industry in New Zealand and comments on some of the policies.

Access Contact - see oral history librarian

Interviewer(s) - Emmanuel Makarios

Venue - 73b Tahunanui Drive, Nelson

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010221-010223

Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 2.30 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3413.

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: A digital copy of the recording is available in the Library's Reading Room